THE Union Street fire has been “catastrophic” for Glasgow, a local MSP has said, as thick smoke from the blaze swamped the city in the aftermath.
Fire crews battled to keep the situation under control on Monday morning, with more than 200 firefighters believed to be at the scene.
It is not the first fire to scar the city centre, with many already drawing parallels to the Glasgow Art School fires, but its impact will inevitably be felt for some time to come.
With Glasgow Central Station closed and diversions around the main transport hub in the city centre, the public swarmed to the police cordons put up in place by emergency services.
Police officers could be heard moving people out of the road and back on to the pavements, as they filmed firefighters blasting torrents of water into the now partially collapsed building on Union Street.
READ MORE: Live as firefighters continue to dampen down Glasgow blaze
The blaze began at 3.46pm on Sunday, and is understood to have taken hold on the ground floor of a B-listed 19th-century commercial building , with Network Rail stating that it began in a vape shop. Central Station will be closed until at least Tuesday, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has now confirmed that an investigation is under way.
Scores of business in the affected area and surrounding streets were shut on Monday morning due to the impact of the blaze.
Videos of the raging fire spread on social media on Sunday evening, with footage the partial collapse of the building sending shockwaves through the local community.
By Monday morning, Glasgow City Centre was thick with smoke, emergency services had blocked off roads from the bank of the River Clyde to St Vincent Street, and white clouds hung in the air and could be seen as far up as Sauchiehall Street.
At just after 10.30am, the smoke was so heavy outside of Central Station that only a shadow of the former building – which had partially collapsed – could be seen amongst the plumes.
When The National spoke to the public who had gathered on the corner of Gordon Street and West Nile Street, there was a significant feeling of loss.
David Hamilton, who said he used to work in the city centre, said: “It’s just very sad to see such a classic old building like this in the state that we’re seeing it in today. It’s a real shame.”
Another local, who only wanted to be identified as Rebecca, added: “I don’t know much about it but it’s just so sad, it’s been two world wars that the building’s survived. I think it’s time to get rid of the vapes don’t you.
“It’s just really sad, sad for Glasgow.
“The buses are all detoured so I think there will be problems for a lot of people.”
Carmen Jamieson, told The National she was struck by the impact the fire had on transport in the city.
“I didn’t think it would have that much of an impact but it was really hard to get into Glasgow this morning,” she said.
READ MORE: Full list of businesses affected by Glasgow city centre blaze
“I canny believe the whole thing collapsed, it is absolutely mental. I don’t really go round this part of town too often, but my goodness.
“Especially that street back there, you physically can’t breathe.”
James Warton added: “It’s concerning to see, it’s not exactly something you expect to see, a building burning down in the middle of town. It’s worrying but it’s pretty sad to see as well considering how old the building was as well.
“It’s going to be missed.”
Around 11am, journalists headed to the corner of St Vincent Street and Renfield Street, looking down towards the scene, as First Minister John Swinney was due to arrive at the scene and give a statement.
A rapid relief team tent could be seen behind the cordon, providing crews on the ground with water and food as the day went on. One member of the public could be heard saying “oh fuck” as they saw the scene unfolding down the road.
The National spoke to Glasgow Kelvin MSP Kaukab Stewart at the cordon, as police officers could be heard telling the public to keep moving and stop filming and taking photographs of the incident.
“I’m absolutely devastated for the city, this is absolutely catastrophic for Glasgow and for Glaswegians,” the Equalities Minister said.
“I want to pay tribute to all the emergency services that have been working around the clock to sort things and my heart goes out to all those who have lost their businesses and their livelihoods just now. It’s just awful, it’s awful for Glasgow and I just feel so badly for people and the city.”
Asked what happens next, Stewart added: “As the constituency MSP people can email me if they wish to, but Network Rail, Police Scotland and the Fire Brigade are putting out details of advice to follow.
“I think at the moment is we need to concentrate on making sure the fire is out, that the surrounding area is safe, and then we need to look at what happens next, because that’s going to take a while to work through, and a lot of people are going to have to be involved in coming round the table to discuss what happens.”
After around half an hour of waiting for the First Minister to arrive, the growing press cohort were moved back to the corner of Gordon Street and West Nile Street behind a police cordon with the public held back on the pavement behind blue and white tape.
READ MORE: Poll: Should high street vape shops be banned after Glasgow's Union Street fire?
Scores of journalists from TV, radio and print waited patiently for Swinney to arrive. The First Minister arrived wearing a high-vis orange jacket, emblazoned with a ScotRail logo, accompanied by rail workers, firefighters and police officers, as he was given a briefing of the ongoing situation.
The interview with Swinney was pooled, with three journalists from STV, Clyde Radio and the Press Association given time to ask questions. Print journalists were promised a huddle, but told later that Swinney had “run out of time”.
Hanging over the bonnet of a police vehicle, The National’s reporter at the scene could barely make out what was being said, with the noise from the water hoses trying to dampen the blaze drowning out the First Minister’s words.
Swinney told PA at the scene his government is open to changing regulations on vape shops given where the fire started.
“If the fire did start in the vape shop, which is what I’ve certainly been briefed was the case, then it will raise issues about the safety of such premises and it’s vital that we examine all of those issues with an open mind,” he said.
“I give the public an assurance the Government will do exactly that and to determine whether there are safety issues that have to be addressed.
“Having seen some of the early moments of the fire and seeing and hearing the explosions, I can understand why there is deep public unease about these issues, so those issues will have to be considered in open detail.”
He also said that the Scottish Government was willing to help the city council with the “immediate, significant and unexpected” financial consequences of the blaze.
SFRS would later confirm that an investigation into the blaze was underway, but that they “cannot at this early stage speculate on what happened”.
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